Think You Can Spot a Counterfeit Product? – Probably not

Consumers get help with free online visual guide

Los Angeles, CA, April 14, 2014 – Price and quality were usually the indication that a Rolex watch or fashion handbag was a counterfeit. But now serious, sometimes deadly, consequences await unsuspecting consumers; not just with counterfeit pharmaceuticals, but everyday products. Counterfeit products are widely distributed to unsuspecting consumers over internet websites, including web giants Amazon and eBay, and the counterfeit product industry is big, very big -- expected to top $1.7 trillion globally in 2015. 

Would you suspect the air-bag facing you in your automobile to be a counterfeit? The National Highway Traffic Safety Counsel (“NHTSA”) says 250,000 US automobiles have inoperative counterfeit air-bags installed. Other not-so-well-known counterfeits include Over-the-Counter (OTC) medications like the Lamisil shown, razor blades and counterfeit nationally branded fragrances and cosmetics with ingredients like anti-freeze, urine, lead and bacteria.

Consumers are facing a big challenge; an epidemic of deceptive counterfeit goods from internet retailers and auction websites.  Global web giants including Amazon and eBay feature listings that convey credibility of the seller and can lead the consumer into mistakenly believing the product featured is genuine or authentic. It is not unusual at all that buyers are deceived into unknowingly purchasing counterfeit products. The products end up as gifts, often go unidentified, or are discovered only after the seller has vanished.   

Think you can spot a fake? "Probably not" says The Counterfeit Report® website (www.TheCounterfeitReport.com) founder Craig Crosby. "If it's manufactured, it's probably been counterfeited and will likely fool you." The Counterfeit Report website features over 200 global brands and thousands of counterfeit product photos to educate and help consumers identify the fakes. 

Could you identify these counterfeit products? (all are fake)

(photo credit: The Counterfeit Report) photo link

1. While the Gillette packaging and razor blades may look authentic, counterfeit razor blades are hugely popular items with online counterfeit retailers. In just one week, Gillette reported seizing over 400,000 razors and 100,000 razor blades destined for unsuspecting consumers.
2. Counterfeit fragrance users would be alarmed at the testing results from Harper's Bazaar Magazine, which found counterfeit ingredients included urine, bacteria and antifreeze. These ingredients are going on consumer's faces and skin, and result in rashes, sickness and infection.
3. Well known Novartis Lamisil with its trademarked branding is easily recognizable, but this counterfeit product is available on Amazon and eBay. It is not a Novartis product, nor is it even available in the Novartis Lamisil product line – it is a fake.
4. This well-known iconic Swiss Army knife may have 44 implements, but it is a poor quality counterfeit available from China counterfeiters for just a fraction of the authentic products price. Counterfeit items are often are listed on eBay and sold to unsuspecting buyers as "100% authentic" or "genuine."
5. Counterfeit iPhone chargers displaying the "Apple" trademarked branding or a counterfeit Underwriters Labs (UL) Mark will deceive consumers into believing they are receiving authentic, safe products. In this case, "fake can be fatal" says Crosby.

While there are a few Rolex watches and designer handbags on the website, most of the featured items are products consumers simply wouldn't expect are counterfeited or recognize the danger of the counterfeited product. "Poor quality, deceptive and often unusable counterfeit products are not the only hazard consumers are facing -- consumers are dying from counterfeit products and pharmaceuticals" says Crosby.  For instance, 23-year-old flight attendant Ma Ailun collapsed to the floor and died from electrocution while answering a call on her charging iPhone 5. A counterfeit iPhone charger is suspect in the tragic death of the young bride-to-be.

Counterfeiting is a global criminal enterprise; the criminals avoid taxes, destroy an estimated 750,000 US jobs, and cost US businesses over $250 Billion annually. Illegal counterfeiting activity is profitable, difficult to track and widely un-punished. While consumer awareness is only part of the global solution, counterfeited products are now very deceptive, and consumers often unknowingly purchase hazardous or deadly products. Many counterfeit products are identified when the products are returned to the manufacturer for warranty or repairs, leaving the consumer out their investment and without a product. "It's the consumer who ultimately gets hurt. Buyer Beware” concluded Crosby.


Website: www.TheCounterfeitReport.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Counterfeit-Report/131568053660579
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